Refrigeration system

ABSTRACT

A refrigeration system includes a refrigeration housing having an enclosed evaporation chamber and a water storage structure formed of a water pan or water pans, a water-filling pipeline extending from the outside the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber for guiding water to each water pan and having installed therein a water intake control valve controllable to open/close the water-filling pipeline, an air-intake pipeline extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber and having installed therein an air-intake control valve controllable to open/close the air-intake pipeline, one or a number of heat sink pipelines extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to each water pan for heat exchange with the storage water, and an exhaust pipeline extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber and having installed therein a pump controllable to draw air out of the evaporation chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cooling or refrigeration technology and more particularly a compressor-free refrigeration system, which utilizes water to substitute for the refrigerant in a compression cycle refrigeration system, enabling water to evaporate rapidly when absorbing heat in an enclosed evaporation chamber. The refrigeration system of the invention is practical for refrigerating, air-conditioning and ice-making applications to substitute for conventional compression cycle refrigeration systems.

2. Description of the Related Art

A refrigeration system in a regular air-conditioning system or refrigerator dryer is a mechanical system consisting of four parts, namely, the compressor, the condenser, the restrictor or refrigerant controls and the evaporator. These four parts are the four essential elements, not a single one can be omitted. Mechanical refrigeration system has a history more than ten decades. For the advantage of better refrigeration performance than other non-mechanical refrigeration systems, mechanical refrigeration system is still commonly used in refrigeration and air-conditioning engineering. A mechanical refrigeration system is a compression cycle system, and the compressor is the heart of the whole system. The refrigeration performance of a compression cycle system is determined subject to the performance of the compressor. Theoretically, the operating efficiency of compressor has reached the peak. Unless otherwise a new compressor operational theory is proposed, it is difficult to improve or change the operating efficiency of compressor.

However, a compression cycle system has a big drawback, i.e., the heat energy absorbed by the system during the heat absorbing stage cannot be fully expelled to the outside during the heat dissipation stage. Further, much waste heat is produced during operation of the compressor. The waste heat that is not expelled to the outside will be circulated in the system, lowering the refrigeration performance. In other words, the better the heat dissipation performance of a compression cycle refrigeration system is, the higher the refrigeration performance of the system will be. Therefore, if a compression cycle refrigeration system performs better when the surrounding temperature is low. In order to improve the refrigeration performance of a compression cycle refrigeration system, an air-conditioning system may employ a water circulation technique to cool down the system operating temperature. By means of circulating water to absorb heat, system operating temperature is lowered, and the refrigeration performance is relatively improved. However, this method still cannot expel all the absorbed waste heat out of the system.

According to the operation of the aforesaid conventional refrigeration systems, even if the system surrounding temperature is lowered, the refrigeration performance is subject to the constraint of the circulating operation of the compressor, i.e., the heat energy absorbed by the system during the heat absorbing stage cannot be fully expelled to the outside during the heat dissipation stage, and the heat energy circulating in the system will affect the refrigeration performance. To enhance the refrigeration performance, it is better to expel all the absorbed heat energy out of the system and to get rid of the constraint of the principle of the circulation operation of compressor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a refrigeration system, which eliminates the use of a compressor and achieves a better refrigeration performance.

The invention provides a refrigeration system, which can expel the absorbed heat energy completely out of the system during its operation. By means of utilizing evaporation of water to absorb heat from water for quick dissipation, the invention dissipates vapor and heat out of the system, improving the refrigeration performance.

In a regular environment, a rise in humility lowers the evaporation speed of water. When the vapor pressure of the surface of water reaches the saturated vapor pressure, i.e., the humility is equivalent to 100%, evaporation is almost stopped. In a regular environment, the vapor on the surface of water will not go away immediately, and will stay on the surface of water to suppress the evaporation speed of water. Therefore, water will not evaporate rapidly under a regular environment. The evaporation will become rapid only when there is a convection of air around the surface of water and the surrounding humility is low. In other words, the evaporation speed becomes the fastest when the humility around the surface of water is approximately zero.

Under a vacuum or low pressure status, there is almost no any vapor, and the humility is zeroed. The invention utilizes this factor to provide a vacuum or low pressure (less than 1 atm) state evaporation chamber where the humility is approximately zero. The surface of the water in this evaporation chamber will evaporate rapidly to absorb heat, thereby cooling down the water. Further, when heat energy absorbed during evaporation of the surface of the water in this evaporation chamber is kept in vapor. A pump is then used to pump vapor out of the evaporation chamber, expelling heat out of the system and achieving heat dissipation of the refrigeration system.

To achieve the aforesaid objects of the present invention, a refrigeration system includes a refrigeration housing having an enclosed evaporation chamber and a water storage structure formed of a water pan or water pans, a water-filling pipeline extending from the outside the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber for guiding water to each water pan and having installed therein a water intake control valve controllable to open/close the water-filling pipeline, an air-intake pipeline extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber and having installed therein an air-intake control valve controllable to open/close the air-intake pipeline, one or a number of heat sink pipelines extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to each water pan for heat exchange with the storage water, and an exhaust pipeline extending from the outside of the refrigeration housing to the evaporation chamber and having installed therein a pump controllable to draw air out of the evaporation chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a refrigeration system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating a refrigeration system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating a refrigeration system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating a refrigeration system in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing illustrating a refrigeration system in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigeration system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising:

a refrigeration housing 10, which comprises an enclosed evaporation chamber 11, a gate 19 located on one side of the evaporation chamber 11 and openable for access to the inside of the evaporation chamber 11 when a maintenance work is necessary, and a water storage structure 12 disposed inside the evaporation chamber 11 and having a water pan 13 that can be a fixed design, or a detachable design to facilitate maintenance;

a water-filling pipeline 30, which extends from an external water source outside the refrigeration housing 10 to the evaporation chamber 11, having a discharge nozzle 31 located on the terminal end thereof for discharging water from the external water source to the water pan 13 in the evaporation chamber 11 and a water intake control valve 33 disposed outside the refrigeration housing 10 and controllable to open/close the water-filling pipeline 30;

an air-intake pipeline 40, which extends from the outside the refrigeration housing 10 to the evaporation chamber 11, and has an air-intake control valve 41 controllable to open/close the air-intake pipeline 40;

a heat sink pipeline set 60, which comprises at least one heat sink pipeline 61 made of a thermal conductive material, such as metal, in a hollow structure and filled with a fluid, for example, refrigerant or water to enhance heat transfer during its circulation, and extends from the outside of the refrigeration housing 10 to the inside of the water storage structure 12 into direct contact with water in the water pan 13 for heat exchange;

a cooling fan 62 disposed at one side relative to the heat sink pipeline set 60 and adapted for causing a convection effect in the refrigeration environment outside the refrigeration housing 10; and

an exhaust pipeline 70, which extends from the outside of the refrigeration housing 10 to the evaporation chamber 11, having a pump 72 installed therein and operable to draw air out of the evaporation chamber 11.

By means of drawing air out of the enclosed evaporation chamber 11 in the refrigeration housing 10 to cause a low pressure less than 1 atm or vacuum, enabling water in the evaporation chamber 11 to evaporate rapidly subject to the physical principle that water is easily vaporized under an extreme low pressure environment. When water is turned into vapor, it absorbs heat. The absorbed heat energy is stored in the vapor. At this time, the pump 72 is operated to pump vapor out of the system, facilitating quick dissipation of heat and achieving the desired refrigeration effect.

During operation of the refrigeration system, the water intake control valve 33 is controlled to let water be guided into the water pan 13. After a predetermined amount of water has been filled in the water pan 13 and the evaporation chamber 11 has been enclosed, turn on the pump 72 of the exhaust pipeline 70 to draw air out of the evaporation chamber 11, changing the evaporation chamber 11 into the low pressure status. Subject to the natures of the three phases of water, water can easily be turned from the liquid state into a gas when the pressure is lowered. Further, when water evaporates, it will absorb a large amount of heat, i.e., heat of evaporation. Therefore, the water in the water pan will carry a large amount of heat from the heat sink pipeline when evaporating, lowering the temperature of the heat sink pipeline. When the temperature at the end of the heat sink pipeline that is kept in contact with the water in the water pan is lowered, the heat energy at the other end of the heat sink pipeline will be transferred to the cold side, producing a temperature reduction effect.

FIG. 2 illustrates a refrigeration system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this second embodiment comprises a refrigeration housing 10, a water-filling pipeline 30, an air-intake pipeline 40, a heat sink pipeline set 60, a cooling fan 62 and an exhaust pipeline 70. Unlike the aforesaid first embodiment, the heat sink pipeline of the heat sink pipeline set 60 is not extended to the inside of the water pan 13 to touch the water in the water pan 13 but kept in contact with one side of the water pan 13. The water pan 13 is made of thermal conductive material. Subject to the effect of thermal conduction, heat energy is transferred through the heat sink pipeline to the water pan 13 and then to the water in the water pan 13 for heat exchange. According to this second embodiment, the water pan 13 is detachable, facilitating replace or cleaning. Because the heat sink pipeline is not kept in contact with the water in the water pan 13, no water scale will be produced.

FIG. 3 illustrates a refrigeration system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this third embodiment comprises a refrigeration housing 10, a water-filling pipeline 30, an air-intake pipeline 40, a heat sink pipeline set 60, a cooling fan 62 and an exhaust pipeline 70. Unlike the aforesaid first embodiment, the water storage structure 12 of the refrigeration housing 10 comprises multiple water pans 13, and the heat sink pipeline set 60 comprises a plurality of heat sink pipelines 61 respectively extended to the e water pans 13 and kept in contact with the water pans 13. Increasing the number of the water pans 13 relatively increase the contact surface area between water and air in the evaporation chamber 11, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency.

FIG. 4 illustrates a refrigeration system in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this fourth embodiment comprises a refrigeration housing 10, a water-filling pipeline 30, an air-intake pipeline 40, a heat sink pipeline set 60, a cooling fan 62 and an exhaust pipeline 70. Unlike the aforesaid first embodiment, the water storage structure 12 of this fourth embodiment further comprises a porous water-absorptive material 15 set in each water pans 13 to absorb water and to increase the contact surface area between water and air in the evaporation chamber 11, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency.

FIG. 5 illustrates a refrigeration system in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the aforesaid first embodiment, this fifth embodiment comprises a refrigeration housing 10, a water-filling pipeline 30, an air-intake pipeline 40, a heat sink pipeline set 60, a cooling fan 62 and an exhaust pipeline 70. Unlike the aforesaid first embodiment, the refrigeration housing 10 further comprises a barometer 20 disposed at one side in the evaporation chamber and adapted for measuring the air pressure value in the evaporation chamber, and an overflow pipe 14 installed in each water pan 13. Further, the water pans 13 are arranged at different elevations in the evaporation chamber 11, and the overflow pipes 14 are respectively installed in the water pans 13 in a staggered manner. When opened the water-filling control valve 33, water is being discharged out of the water-filling pipeline 30 to the first water pan 13 in the water storage structure 12. When the water level in the first water pan 13 reaches the elevation of the associating overflow pipe 14, water will flow through the associating overflow pipe 14 to the second water pan 13 in the water storage structure 12, and so on. The discharged water will finally flow to the last water pan 13. The installation of multiple water pans 13 in the evaporation chamber 11 relatively increases the contact surface area between water and air in the evaporation chamber 11 and the number of heat sink pipelines, thereby enhancing heat exchange efficiency.

The refrigeration housing 10 further comprises a thermometer (not shown) and a water level measurement device 17 or weight measurement device 18 respectively located on one side of the last water pan 13 in the water storage structure 12. When the elevation of water in the last water pan 13 measured by the water level measurement device 17 or the weight of water in the last water pan 13 measured by the weight measurement device 18 reaches a predetermined high value, it means that all the water pans 13 have stored a sufficient amount of water. At this time, the water-filling control valve 33 will be turned off.

During operation, turn on the pump 72 of the exhaust pipeline 70 to draw air out of the evaporation chamber 11, changing the evaporation chamber 11 into a vacuum or the low pressure status. At this time, the water contained in the porous water-absorptive material 15 in each water pan 13 will be evaporated into vapor and to carry heat away from the water in each water pan 13, thereby lowering the temperature of water in each water pan 13. At this time, a temperature difference exists between the two distal ends of each heat sink pipeline 60 inside and outside the refrigeration housing 10. When the temperature at the outer end of each heat sink pipeline 60 outside the refrigeration housing 10 is higher than that at the inner end of each heat sink pipeline 60 inside the refrigeration housing 10, heat will be transferred from the outer end of each heat sink pipeline 60 to its inner end subject to the second law of thermodynamics. Thus, the outer end of each heat sink pipeline 60 outside the refrigeration housing 10 causes an endothermic reaction. At this time, turn on the cooling fan 62 to cause currents of air toward each heat sink pipeline 60 outside the refrigeration housing 10, achieving the desired refrigeration effect. As the pump 72 keeps drawing air out of the evaporation chamber 11, water vapor is drawn out of the evaporation chamber 11 through the exhaust pipeline 70.

When the elevation of water in the last water pan 13 measured by the water level measurement device 17 or the weight of water in the last water pan 13 measured by the weight measurement device 18 reaches a predetermined low value, it means that the amount of water in the water pans 13 is insufficient. At this time, turn on the water-filling control valve 33 to fill water to the water pans 13. When the amount of water stored in the water pans 13 reached the predetermined value, turn off the water-filling control valve 33.

Further, the pump 72 can be turned off when the value measured by the barometer 20 reaches a predetermined low value, saving power consumption. When the air pressure in the evaporation chamber 11 surpassed a predetermined high value, turn on the pump 72 to draw air out of the evaporation chamber 11 again. Further, the air-drawing operation can be controlled subject to the measurement of the thermometer, avoiding excessively low temperature in the evaporation chamber 11. During a maintenance work, turn off all the control valves, and then turn on the air-intake control valve 41 to let outside air enter the evaporation chamber 11 through the air-intake pipeline 40. When the air pressure inside the refrigeration housing 10 and the atmospheric pressure are in balance, open the gate 19 and start the maintenance work.

It is to be understood that in the aforesaid various embodiments of the present invention to continuously or intermittently draw air and vapor out of the evaporation chamber 11 to keep the evaporation chamber 11 in a vacuum or the low pressure status is simply for understanding of the invention but not intended as limitations of the invention. Various modifications and alternations may be made to substitute for the arrangement of the multi-layer water storage structure 12 and porous water absorptive material 1 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Nevertheless, except the evaporation chamber of the refrigeration system can be changed into a vacuum or the low pressure status, the enclosed evaporation chamber of the refrigeration housing still can be maintained in a lower pressure just lower than an air pressure outside the refrigeration housing. 

1. A refrigeration system, comprising: a refrigeration housing, said refrigeration housing comprising an enclosed evaporation chamber and a water storage structure disposed inside said evaporation chamber, said water storage structure comprising at least one water pan; a water-filling pipeline extending from an external water source outside said refrigeration housing to said evaporation chamber for guiding water from said external water source to said at least one water pan, said water-filling pipeline having installed therein a water intake control valve controllable to open/close said water-filling pipeline; an air-intake pipeline extending from the outside of said refrigeration housing to said evaporation chamber, said air-intake pipeline having installed therein an air-intake control valve controllable to open/close said air-intake pipeline; a heat sink pipeline set, said heat sink pipeline set comprising at least one heat sink pipeline extending from the outside of said refrigeration housing to said at least one water pan inside said water storage structure for heat exchange with the water stored in said at least one water pan; and an exhaust pipeline extending from the outside of said refrigeration housing to said evaporation chamber, said exhaust pipeline having installed therein a pump controllable to draw air out of said evaporation chamber.
 2. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cooling fan disposed at one side relative to said heat sink pipeline set and adapted for causing a convection effect in a refrigeration environment outside said refrigeration housing.
 3. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said heat sink pipeline is made of a thermal conductive material, having an inner end thereof extending to the inside of one said water pan and kept in contact with the water stored in the associating water pan.
 4. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said water pan is made of a thermal conductive material; each said heat sink pipeline is kept in contact with one side of one said water pan.
 5. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said heat sink pipeline is made of a thermal conductive material for heat exchange with the water stored in the associating water pan.
 6. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said heat sink pipeline has a fluid filled therein for circulation and heat transfer.
 7. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refrigeration housing further comprises a water level measurement device installed in said evaporation chamber and adapted for measuring the amount of water stored in said at least one water pan.
 8. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water storage structure comprises a plurality of water pans arranged at different elevations, and a weight measurement device installed in a bottom side of the lowest water pan for measuring the weight of the water stored in said water pans.
 9. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water storage structure further comprises a porous water absorptive material installed in said at least one water pan to absorb the storage water, increasing the contact surface area between the storage water and the air inside said evaporation chamber.
 10. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refrigeration housing further comprises a barometer adapted for indicating the air pressure of said evaporation chamber.
 11. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosed evaporation chamber of the refrigeration housing is maintained in a low pressure less than 1 atm.
 12. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosed evaporation chamber of the refrigeration housing is maintained in a vacuum status.
 13. The refrigeration system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said enclosed evaporation chamber of the refrigeration housing is maintained in a lower pressure lower than an air pressure outside said refrigeration housing. 